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“Yet now, please forgive their sin. But if not, please blot me out of Your book that You have written.” Exodus 32:32. Tree of Life Version When Moses was on Sinai, he received the mishpatim (ordinances), plus the instructions for the making of the mishkan (tabernacle). Towards the end of the forty-days and forty nights on Sinai, he received the Ten Commandments, written with the finger of G'd (Deuteronomy 9:10) on two stone tablets. Before returning to the camp, the L’RD informed Moses that the people had rebelled: “They quickly turned aside from the path that I commanded for them. They have made a molten calf, worshipped it, and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you up out of the land of Egypt'” (Exodus 32:8, TLV). After breaking the tablets, signifying the breaking of the covenant, Moses executes the offenders, and grounds up the golden calf, making the people drink the powder with water (Numbers 5:11-31). The next day, Moses explains, “You have committed a horrendous sin. So now I will go up to Ad’nai—perhaps I can make atonement for your sin” (Exodus 32:30, TLV). Moses appeals to the L’RD, requesting forgiveness on behalf of B’nei Yisrael; otherwise, if the L’RD will not forgive the people, Moses requests that his own name be blotted out of the Book of Life. Chizkuni relates this book to the one wherein the names of the righteous are written on Rosh HaShannah. “Your people—everyone who is found written in the book—will be delivered.” Daniel 12:1, Tree of Life Version Moses offers that his name be removed from the Book of Life, that records the names of the righteous who will live in Olam Haba (the World to Come) forever (Daniel 12:1-2). Within this context, Moses is willing to give up his place in Olam Haba for the sake of the Children of Israel: this concept is called mesiras hanefesh (self-sacrifice). Yet, the L’RD responds to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book” (Exodus 32:33, TLV). This indicates that the L’RD’s Attribute of Justice will judge each man according to his works (Revelation 20:12). Despite the rule of justice, the L’RD reveals His Thirteen Attributes of Mercy to Moses: ” Ad’nai, Ad’nai, the compassionate and gracious G’d, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, showing mercy to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7, TLV). The L’RD informs Moses through this revelation that He is inclined to show mercy towards the penitent, subsequently, granting forgiveness of sins. Through the L’RD’s revelation to Moses, we know that we can do teshuvah (repentance), to restore our relationship to Him. Moreover, His chesed (mercy, sometimes translated as “grace”) and emes (truth) have been further revealed through the Messiah (John 1:17). Additionally, through Yeshua’s mesiras nefesh (self sacrifice) we have hope, because he bore our iniquities (Isaiah 53:11). “I have not concealed Thy mercy and Thy truth from the great congregation” (Psalm 40:11, JPS).